The joy of Christmas

In a couple of days from now, the world will be celebrating another Christmas. This year’s edition is the 2015th since the first heralded the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. The stage for that was set in Bethlehem, a small town in Judea.

The angel’s message was straight – “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!” Luke 2:14. On that note, it is right to ask what your expectations at Christmas are. Are your expectations geared towards mundane things or focused on the message of Christmas? Many people have varied expectations at Christmas – some good some bad. Some are expecting gifts from someone. Some want to go for exotic shopping spree. Some want a new car. Some want to complete their house. The expectations are many and varied. For many, unless their expectations are met, there is no Christmas in their subconscious.

One of the main features of Christmas is mass movement of people from one place to another. There are international travels across the continents, regions and countries. Over and above that are the domestic travels within the country. In Nigeria, for instance, the traditional movement at this time is from the west to the eastern states and then north to the southern states. There is this air of hurry, hurry, hurry! Many people appear to be in a hurry to reach their destination, meet certain goals/targets before the year ends. The event of Christmas, which comes on December 25, just six days to the end of the year, accentuates this haste.

I am a bit hesitant to adduce “rush” to Christmas because there was nothing in the first Christmas that suggested “rush”, especially for mundane things. The duo of Joseph and Mary, on their way to Bethlehem to get registered in a census ordered by Caesar Augustus (63 BC-14 AD), the Roman Governor, were travelling on a donkey, that walked normally. The shepherds were in the field keeping night watch over their flock under a serene atmosphere when the multitude of angels appeared with the message of Christmas. It was only after the angels had departed back into heaven that the Bible said the shepherds “went with haste” to Bethlehem to confirm what the angels had said. The rush was geared towards meeting Baby Jesus in the manger and not for any material purpose. I have dwelt on the issue of rush at Christmas because it is the cause of many deaths on the roads in Nigeria during this season. The high rate of road accidents that has become another nightmare in Nigeria worsens during Christmas. This is very sad.

These accidents are happening because people are rushing to their destinations. I am sure that all plans made for that car’s use this Christmas were suddenly truncated that morning because the driver didn’t exercise restraint while on the wheel. The truth is that there is no need rushing to do anything during this festive period. It is not mandatory that one must travel. It is better not to travel and stay alive for another Christmas than get oneself into trouble.

It is important to point out that the way Christmas is celebrated in Nigeria is different from the way it is celebrated in other climes. In the Western world, for instance, the prices of goods are slashed apparently to make things affordable to all. Shops open Christmas sales where every imaginable item is sold at rock bottom price. That culture promotes and brings joy to millions at Christmas. But here in Nigeria, the stakes are high. Once it is December, prices of every item in the market skyrocket beyond measures. Everything from food items, clothing, shoes, household utensils, etc, have their prices raised.